SAN ANTONIO -- Saturday night became Sunday morning before the DeSoto celebration had cleared the court at the Alamodome. After a 73-54 win over previously undefeated Humble Atascocita earned DeSoto the Class 6A state basketball title, it was understandable why the Eagles wanted to keep the party going.

Defense helps DeSoto take down previously unbeaten Humble Atascocita to win 6A title

This was the last time DeSoto's exceptional senior class, which scored all but two of the Eagles' points in the championship game, would be in uniform together. And this was the moment they had been waiting for -- not just this year, but for many years.

"They're all home-grown, and they're a family," DeSoto coach Chris Dyer said. "They've been playing together all this time, and all they've ever said is that they want to win a championship."

Tristen Wallace, the DeSoto quarterback and Oregon signee who for years has been in the football spotlight, had his brightest moment on the basketball court. The 6-4 forward had 25 points and nine rebounds to earn the game MVP award as DeSoto (36-2) won the school's third state title.

It capped a great Saturday for Dallas-area teams, as Lancaster (36-2) repeated as 5A champion in the afternoon and Lincoln (24-14) won the 4A title in the first game of the evening. In winning its fourth state title in school history, Lincoln proved that an incredibly tough regular-season schedule can pay dividends. The Tigers became the first UIL state champion with double-digit losses in more than 20 years.

The wins by Lancaster and Lincoln gave the Dallas area a chance for its first sweep of the UIL's three largest classes since 2012, and DeSoto finished the job resoundingly. Atascocita (38-1) was trying to become the first undefeated champion in the state's largest class since Duncanville finished 39-0 in 2007, but it got shackled by the pride of the DeSoto basketball team:

The game was tied at 15-15 early in the second quarter, but then DeSoto held Atascocita scoreless for the final 6:43 of the half. The Eagles scored 18 points during that span, led by seniors Wallace, Jordan Berry, Julian Miranda and McDonald's All-American Marques Bolden, the 6-11 center who had 12 points, nine rebounds and six blocks.

Atascocita trailed by 19 in the third quarter, and although it cut the lead to seven with a 15-3 run, the game was a runaway by early in the fourth. Berry nailed 4 of 5 3-point attempts and finished with 14 points, and Miranda, who had 15 points, made 10 of 11 free throws.

DeSoto shot 55 percent from the field and hit 6 of 10 3-pointers while limiting Atascocita to 38 percent from the field. DeSoto also dominated on the boards 40-24.

Atascocita star point guard Carsen Edwards, a Purdue signee, managed 20 points but needed 23 shots to do it. He was 8 of 23 overall from the field and 4 of 15 from 3-point range.

"State champions," said Miranda, who then sighed in relief as teammates celebrated around him. "Pure emotion. Pure joy. I'm just happy we got it done."